August orders of durable goods fell 4.5% in August, and sales of new homes dropped 11.5%, but poor economic data seemed to have little impact on the Street. Many financials gained, including Lehman Brothers, which was up 44.4%, as well as Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, which rose 3.7% and 12.05%, respectively. But WaMu plummeted 21.68% on reports that it was seeking a private-equity takeover.